Stockton Police Join International Law Enforcement ‘Tweet-a-Thon’

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STOCKTON-

Think of it as crime prevention in 140 characters.

On Friday, Stockton PD joined 150 other law enforcement agencies in eight countries in an international “tweet-a-thon.” This wasn’t cops tweeting about a ballgame or what they ate for lunch, it’s community outreach, sowing seeds of cooperation across the internet.

Stockton detectives say the social media push has lead to real world dividends, like Stockton’s recent drastic drop in violent crime.

“We’re definitely using it as a tool because of our limited resources. We have to have that communication link between the police department and the community,” Officer Joseph Silva told FOX40.

It’s more than reporting potholes and busted lights, it’s been a way for Stocktonians to drop a virtual dime on criminals.

“They’ve been giving us tips where the suspects have been living, where they’ve been hanging out. That information gets forwarded to our investigators who are working on those crimes,” Silva said. “They go out, follow up and make some real good arrests.”